Axle-washer



(1.90A Model.)

T. GINGRAS. AXLE WASHER.

N0.444,z18. Y PatentedJan.6,`1sQ1.

Witnesses:

UNITED 'STATES PATENT Ormea..

TIMOTHY GINGRAS, OF BUFFALO, NFV YORK.

AXLE-WASH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,218, dated January 6, 1891.

Application filed August 8, 1890. Serial No. 361,437. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, TIMOTHY GINGRAS, of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements on AXlelashe1's; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection `with the accompanying sheet of (1"awings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Thisinvention has general reference to improvements in axle-washers; and it consists, essentially, in the novel and peculiar combination of parts and details of construction, as hereinafter first fully set forth and described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings already mentioned, which serve to illustrate my said invention more fully, Figure lisa plan of a blank from which my improved washers are made. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are plans of the washers as formed from blanks having different serrations.

Like parts are designated by corresponding letters of reference in all the figures.

The object of this invention is the production of leather-axle washers, especially those used on large axles, in a cheaper and more efficient manner than has heretofore been accomplished.

Its object is, furthermore, to provide in such washers retainingspaces, wherein the axlegrease or other lubricant may lodge, and in case of heating on account of insufficient lubrication may melt, and thereby furnish the necessary lubricant to prevent damages and accidents.

This class of axle \\'asl1ers, which are of comparatively large diameter, and which have a wide bearing-surface, have heretofore been made exclusively from hides of leather cut by suitable means into the required annularform. In the cutting thereis a loss of leather amount ing to oy er forty per cent. of the stock, whereby a great loss is sustained and the cost of the article unnecessarily increased. To overcome these objections, I proceed to manufacture these axle-Washers from strips of leather, substantially as shown in Fig. 1, of proper Width and thickness, and then slit this strip into two pieces A B, respectively, bya zigzag cut, as shown, thereby producing on one of the edges of said pieces A B serrations A B', respectively. This cutting may be done by a knife, a suitable cutter, or by a revolving cutter, the latter device being the most economical one. I then form these strips into rings, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, and finally unite the abutting ends, (or overlapping joints) if desired, by cementing or by inserting staples O C', as shown in Fig. 2, over the joint, though I do not Wish to confine myself to the latter method, inasmuch as the strips A B already form marketable articles, which may be cut to proper length, and then bent into annular form and inserted into the axlebox by the purchaser. The manufacture of such wide washers from plain parallel strips is next to an impossibility, owing to the rigidity of the material, while by sei-rating one of the edges, as described` these strips may be readily bent into proper form.

By spacing the serrations far enough apart I produce in the washer a series of notches b, which may be of any width, according to the angles of the serrations, and they may be so arranged that the opposite sides of these notches will meet, or nearly so, as shown in Fig. 4, said notches forming receivers for the axle-grease, which being of a pasty consistence will be retained in said notches until heat shall more or less liquify the same, and thereby allow the grease'to escape. If desired, apertures or recesses a may be produced in the body of the washers for a like purpose.

It will be observed that in carrying ont this invention I need not necessarily sever a strip into two portions A B, but may serrate a strip of proper width on one of its edges, the exact shape of said serrations being immaterial and a modification thereofbeing shown in Fig. Other designs of such seri-ations than those shown may be adopted without changing the nature of my invention. It will be further observed that by varying the Width of the strips A B washers of different Width may be produced in an obvious manner.

Instead of bending the strips so that the serrations b are in the opening of the washer, they may be so bent that they are on the periphery thereof, such a reversal of the order of arrangement being clearly within the scope IOO ot'iny inveutitni. olnnyiserrilteboth edges i L. A leather axle-washer formed from :i

x n n i y u ot the strlps and thon forni them into nnnuize, i hhuik oi proper width and thlekness and hav- 15 if desired. ing serrations in oneof itslongitudinai edges Having thusfuiiydescribedinynventieml :ind the meeting ends united by n suitable 5 ehtinl as newand desire tohave secured to me fastening, as stated.

hy Letters Patentot' the United States- In testimony that I eleiin the foregoing' ns 1. In ihemnuufaetureof leatheraxie-u'nshmy invention I have hereto set my hand in 2o ers, n\\'z1sl1e1b1n11k of proper width und thiek- Q the presence of two subscribing witnesses. ness having on one or both of itsiongitudiiml io edges serrations, :is described, whereby n wide blank may be readily formed into n washer without upsetting' the materiali, as and for the TIMOTHY GINGRAS. Attest:

MICHAEL J. STARK,

i i object stated. i NTM. O. STARK. 

